Base (1) Substantive from Latin basis, Greek basis, a foundation.
(a) (mekhonah): the fixed resting-place on which the lavers in Solomon's temple were set (1 Kings 7:27-43, 2 Kings 16:17, 2 Kings 25:13, 2 Kings 25:16, 2 Chronicles 4:14, Jeremiah 27:19, Jeremiah 52:17, Jeremiah 52:20; compare Ezra 3:3, Zechariah 5:11 the American Revised Version, margin).
(b) (ken): pedestal in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) (1 Kings 7:29, 1 Kings 7:31) and in the Revised Version (British and American) only (Exodus 30:18, Exodus 30:28, Exodus 31:9, Exodus 35:16, Exodus 38:8, Exodus 39:39, Exodus 40:11, Leviticus 8:11) of the base of the laver of the tabernacle (the King James Version "foot").
(c) (yarekh): "base of candlestick" (the Revised Version (British and American) of Exodus 25:31, Exodus 37:17) the King James Version "shaft."
(d) (yecodh): the Revised Version (British and American) "base of altar"; the King James Version "bottom" (Exodus 29:12, Exodus 38:8, Leviticus 4:7, Leviticus 4:18, Leviticus 4:25, Leviticus 4:30, Leviticus 4:34, Leviticus 5:9, Leviticus 8:15, Leviticus 9:9).
(e) (gabh): the Revised Version (British and American) "elevation," i.e. basement of altar; the King James Version "higher place" (Ezekiel 43:13).
(2) Adjective from French bas-low, or Welsh bas-"shallow": of lowly birth or station, of voluntary humility and of moral depravity.
(a) (shaphal, shephal): of David's self-humiliation (2 Samuel 6:22): "a modest unambitious kingdom" (Ezekiel 17:14, Ezekiel 29:14, Ezekiel 29:15 (BDB); Daniel 4:17 (the American Standard Revised Version "lowest")): compare shephelah = "lowland."
(b) (qalah): men of humble birth and station as opposed to the nobles (Isaiah 3:5).
(c) (beli-shem): "nameless," "of no account": "children of fools, yea, children of base men" (Job 30:8).
(d) the King James Version men, sons, daughters, children of Belial; literally "worthless persons"; in the American Standard Revised Version "base," except 1 Samuel 1:16 "wicked woman"; also the English Revised Version of Deuteronomy 13:13, "base," which elsewhere retains the King James Version rendering.
(e) (tapeinos): "lowly," "humble or abject" (2 Corinthians 10:1); the Revised Version (British and American), "lowly"; so Paul's enemies said he appeared when present in the church at Corinth.
(f) (agenes): "of low birth," "of no account" (1 Corinthians 1:28): "base things of the world."
(g) (agoraios): " belonging to the market-place," loafers, worthless characters (Acts 17:5): "certain lewd fellows of the baser sort"; the Revised Version (British and American) "certain vile fellows of the rabble."
T. Rees